No More Masks
by Touchnotthiscat
Summary: Jareth saves a strange young girl, but for what purpose? Please read and review.
1. Default Chapter Title

I don't own Jareth, Sarah, or the Labyrinth, Jim Henson Productions has the claim on those.I'm just borrowing them.Alara, however, is my own character.If you read this, please let me know what you think, either by review or by email.Thank you!I hope you enjoy it!

No More Masks

Jareth

Alara lay curled in a deep hollow of a lightning-blasted tree, her face buried in the crook of her arm to mask the sound of her harsh breathing.She heard the heavy steps of the horses as they drew close and pulled her black cloak over her blazing white hair.

"She came this way, but her trail ends over here."_No, not so soon!They're going to find me!_She squeezed her eyes even tighter as heavy footsteps stopped at the narrow entrance.She heard the jingling of chain-mail and guessed that an armsman had knelt down to peer inside.She lay still, holding her breath and willing her heart to slow its wild beat.After an agonizingly long moment, she heard the man curse and noisily lurch to his feet.

"Ain't nuthin' in 'ere 'cept spiders 'n mice, m'lord."

"Blast your eyes, man!Find her!She can't have gone far!"Alara cringed.If the Lord Baskin had seen fit to lead the hunt, then it was only a matter of time until she was found."And send those flea-ridden hounds back to the kennels.They're useless for anything but hares.Go on, before I feed you to them!"Alara allowed herself a small grin.The hounds _were_ useless against her; she had used a small amount of her power to confuse their minds.Instead of hunting her, they had led the hunting party to nearly every rabbit warren and shrews' nest in the forest.Unfortunately for her, the Lord had caught onto the trick and sent for the tracker.She lay motionless, listening as the hunting party gradually moved further away.

Alara stayed in her shelter until nightfall before she finally dared to emerge.She tested the air cautiously, wary of an ambush.She had been held prisoner at Lord Baskin's keep for too long.She reveled in the night breeze's comforting touch.No more stale air, no more chains, no more being forced to heal a dying man and watch others suffer.The cruelty was over, and she was free.Alara looked up through the canopy and saw a sprinkling of stars.It was too dark to move in safety, she could wait until dawn.She crawled back into the den and lay down.Tomorrow she would leave this place of pain.For tonight, at least, she would sleep in peace.

Alara woke slowly, knowing she was safe and had no need to defend herself.She didn't immediately feel the soft mattress beneath her, or the warmth of the coverlet around her.She wanted to lay here forever, to never wake again._Ah_, a back corner of her mind spoke, _you must wake.Nothing lasts forever, not even pleasant dreams.Shut up, you!Let me sleep a while longer.You must wake, since when do trees grow feather mattress?Shut up!The tree can do whatever it wants!It's my dream, not yours!No, it's not a dream…_

"Wake up, Alara."Alara jumped at the sound of the voice, "No!"she cried."Not so soon!"She scrambled back from the wonderful soft bed, nearly falling out.A man sat sprawled in an overstuffed chair, one placating hand raised."Be at ease, you are safe here."He was oddly dressed, with a dark leather jerkin over a loose blouse and light gray leggings tucked into knee-high boots.An odd pendant hung from a gold chain.She looked into his bi-colored eyes, searching for the truth of his words.

"How is it that you know my name," she asked guardedly.He smiled and shook his head as stood."How is it that you can look at me and not recognize your own kin?" he answered.Kin? She had no kin!And then she saw what she had missed in her alarmed state.The power, the magic that whirled around and through him.He was magic-born, like she was!"Yes, Alara, not so different from you, although my destiny is on another path."She could only stare at first.Another magic-born!She had thought that she was the only one!She struggled from the shock of it all.

"Who are you," she could only ask.

"I am Jareth, the Goblin King.And this," he waved his arm to encompass the room, "is my castle at the center of the Labyrinth."Alara nodded, confused.Jareth put his arms behind his back and paced to the single window.Alara felt a slight tremble in the air as his thoughts became troubled."I saved you from your prison because I knew it would mean your death, eventually."He noticed her start of surprise."Yes, I know you were forced into existence, and are not quite immortal yet.As your kin, of a sort, I could not leave you there."_The owl_, she thought."I brought you here, however, for another purpose."He leaned against the window with a false indolence.He was tense, as if he expected a blow.

Alara took a step towards Jareth.She could now sense a deep sorrow in him, and fought the instinct to rush over and ease the pain."I think I know why you have brought me here.Your world is falling apart, isn't it?I can feel it unraveling, even now."She felt a sadness well up within her.As a mage-born creature, he was immortal.But for some reason he was slowly weakening, losing his strength and power.She didn't know what would become of him if he lost himself."You want me to heal you, somehow.Oh, Jareth," she whispered, sympathy echoing in her voice, "it doesn't work that way."His face was impassive, as expressionless as a mask.He pushed himself away from the window and paced back to the oversized chair.He carelessly sat, one leg over the arm. He pulled four perfect crystalline spheres from the air and began to twirl them in his gloved fingers.Alara watched, mesmerized."You are partly correct.I know you can't heal me, or my land.That is not why you are here."He gracefully pulled a sphere from the rest and lifted it into the air.Alara sank to the floor as is drifted towards her.An image of a young woman began to form within its depths.Long dark hair covered her face but could not mask the crushing pain radiating from her."Her name is Sarah.I offered her the world, once…"

Alara listened quietly as he told her of how his goblins had kidnapped her brother, and of how he used his power to shape his domain in an attempt to impress her.She thought she understood his pain, now.He had watched this dream-filled girl when she was young, eventually falling in love with her, and, believing that she would one day love him in return, he had given her the key, the "certain powers" to his realm.What went wrong?From what Jareth had told her, this Sarah didn't fit in with her own world.Why wasn't she here, with him, helping him keep his mysterious land whole and healthy?She watched as Jareth offered her a final dream.The crystal popped before she heard Sarah's reply.Alara watched with hooded eyes as Jareth stood angrily and began to pace the floor."What happened, Jareth," she asked softly, already knowing the answer.

"She refused, that's what happened!"He growled, glaring at her.Alara tried to hide her smile."Well, you did kidnap her brother."

He whirled to face her, muscles tight."She asked me to!"

"You threw a snake at her face!That doesn't say 'I love you' in any language."

"She defied me!"

"You threw her into a hole."

"She was cocky!"

"She nearly had her head torn off," she said incredulously. 

Jareth shrugged, taking a sudden interest in his glove."She chose the wrong door.And anyway, I had the dwarf save her."

Alara rose to her bare feet and put her hands on her hips."You _threw_ her into a smelly bog."

"She kissed the dwarf.I was angry.Besides, it wasn't _in_ the bog, it was the shore _by_ the bog."

Alara sighed."She was nearly run down by a slashing machine."

Jareth sniffed haughtily."She deserved it."He glanced at Alara's astounded look."What?" he shouted defensively, "She insulted my Labyrinth!"

Alara shook her head and said softly, "You made her forget."

He looked away and answered just as softly, "She wanted to forget."

Alara walked over to him, unable to resist the pain and sadness in his voice.She placed a hand lightly on his shoulder.He didn't shrink from her delicate touch."She refused you because she was young and confused.From what you told me all her life she dreamed and imagined.Wishing it could all be real but knowing it wasn't.You pulled the floor from underneath her and now she's struggling to stand.She was already afraid of the world around her, Jareth, and you frightened her even more.No more masks.Tell me, you loved her, didn't you?You hoped that she would love you back, or at least learn to love you."She didn't need an answer."You expected her to drop the world she knew in favor of the unknown.She was a lost, lonely child, I don't think she knew what you were truly offering her."Gently, she framed his face in her small hands."Jareth, you fool, next time try flowers."


	2. No More Masks, Sarah's Tale

Thank you so much for the comments!Here is part two, and I promise not to wait so long to put out the last chapter.The disclaimer from the previous chapter still applies.I don't own Jareth, Sarah, or the Labyrinth.The Henson Productions has the rights to those.Alara however, is my creation.I hope you enjoy part two, and will leave a comment. 

Sarah

Sarah sighed as she ran over her lines in her mind, but it wasn't on the words or the play.She and her stepmother had argued again last night.Karen wanted Sarah to give up her dream of being an actress in favor of being a doctor or lawyer or something.Her stepmother had even threatened to stop paying for her classes.Sarah had stormed off to her room to fume before she said something she would regret later. She had tried to call her mother this morning, but all she got was a message saying her mother was away and couldn't be reached.It didn't matter anyway.Her mother didn't care about her either.Only her current boyfriend or show mattered.

"That was a good rehearsal, Sarah."Sarah looked up startled.Her friend Ally sat down in the chair next to her and began to remove her stage make-up.Ally's pure white hair gleamed in the harsh light.Sarah sighed and smiled."I still think you should've gotten the lead part."

Ally looked at her, brows raised. "Bite your tongue!I don't want to have to memorize all those lines!"Ally looked back into the mirror."I would be too nervous and would mess everything up.I'd much rather be the brainless maidservant.No lines to remember.Besides, wouldn't you rather be Tatiana, the Queen of Fancy and Mistress of the Frivolous?"Ally turned to look at Sarah's distant face."Your parents argued with you again, didn't they?"Sarah gave a short nod and turned her head away.God!She was going to cry in front of everyone!

Alara noticed the tightness in Sarah's.That must have been a bad argument, usually Sarah would rant and rave."Wait here, Sarah."Alara went to the phone outside of the dressing room and called Sarah's house._People can be so cruel_, she thought._Can't they see they were slowly killing their own daughter?It was ridiculous, a drama class wasn't worth the grief they were putting Sarah through._"Hello, Mrs. Williams?Hi, this is Ally.Fine thanks, how are you?"_You little worm-rotted pile of pig snot_ – "I was wondering if you would let Sarah come over to my place tonight.I'm having a little trouble in history class and was hoping Sarah could tutor me.Uh huh, Mr. Williams is having a dinner party tonight?No, I have some food at my place, if it's okay?" _Don't want her around to embarrass you, do you?_"All right, thanks.Have a good evening."_Or not, you rat._Alara quickly went back to her friend."I just called your stepmom, Sarah. I hope you don't mind.I asked if you could come over tonight to help me study.She said it would be okay."Alara smiled weakly, "You look like you need to get away for awhile."Sarah murmured a thanks and gathered her things, not even bothering to remove her costume.They said nothing for the short walk to Ally's apartment.Sarah was just grateful to have a friend as understanding as Ally was.

She had met Ally at the start of the colledge year in her drama class.Ally's parents had died suddenly, so the rumor went.Filled with grief, Ally had sold everything and moved into her very own apartment.Sarah could believe it; from that first day Ally carried her sadness like a veil.Quiet and shy, she never spoke about it, she just seemed to be trying to get from one day to the next.She looked as out of place as Sarah felt, and just as lost.Sarah watched her for the first few days as she gently and politely rebuffed the other students' offers of friendship.No one was insulted, though, they all assumed she was still grieving.Sarah didn't remember exactly how they started talking; she thought it had something to do with the play.But whatever it was, it sparked a friendship.Ally seemed to understand Sarah's desire to escape from everything, and she never laughed at Sarah's stories or dreams.

Ally unlocked her door and dropped her books onto the floor by the couch while Sarah placed her things on the kitchen table and looked around.She loved Ally's place, it felt like more of a home than her own place was."Sarah, tell me what happened with your parents last night.You look like you haven't slept in a week."Ally waited expectantly as Sarah sagged into the couch._She looks like she's ready to give up the fight,_ Alara thought.

"She's not my parent, she's my _step_-mom.Nothing happened except that she threatened to stop paying for school."Then Sarah felt her face burn red.Oops!What a slip!At least she had parents!She glanced over at Ally's sympathetic face.Sarah looked back down at her hands, trying to hide the tears.God, she felt so stupid!She didn't want to cry in front of her best friend. "And then I tried to call mom this morning, but as usual, she was screening her calls.She didn't want to talk to me."Tears came to Alara's own eyes as she felt Sarah's soul-wrenching pain._How can these people be allowed to have children when they don't know how to take care of them?_She was grateful for never having had parents of her own.She watched as Sarah struggled keep her feelings bottled up._No wonder Jareth scared her so much, _Alara mused._The poor thing was never truly loved.I doubted she saw Jareth's offer for what it really was.I wonder what she would do if he made the offer again…_

"No more masks, Sarah, I'm your friend.You don't have to hide from me, let me help you."At last the wall crumbled and Sarah burst into heart-rending sobs that refused to cease.Alara scrambled off her perch and held her friend tightly as if she were a child.Alara waited until the sobbing had run out and left Sarah a pathetic heap of hiccups and sniffles before returning to her perch on her armchair.How to proceed?"If you could go anywhere in the world, anywhere in time, where would you go?" 

Caught off guard by the strangeness of the question, Sarah sniffed and answered without thinking."The Labyrinth."She felt herself blush, why had she said that?She was so stupid; there was no such place as the Labyrinth.It was just a dream, a stupid fantasy.

Alara pretended to look surprised."From your dream? Why on earth would you want to go there?Didn't the king from that place steal Toby?"

Embarrassed, Sarah studied a spot on the carpet.She had mentioned the dream only once, and hadn't meant to bring it up.It seemed so real at the time."Well, actually the goblins took him, and any way, I asked them to."She felt so stupid for having this conversation!Alara tucked her knees up to her chin to hide her smile.

"Didn't he throw a snake at you?"

Sarah shook her head."I don't think it was real.It turned into a scarf or something when I dropped it."

"You fell into that oubliette-pit after you solved the riddle."Sarah frowned, she hadn't realized that Ally had such a good memory.

"Yeah, well, I guess I was being too smug about it."

"Hmm.What about those red featherheads nearly decapitating you?That's not something I would enjoy."

Sarah snickered, remembering the look on their faces when her head wouldn't come off."They weren't _that_ bad, they just didn't understand that I wasn't part of their game.And anyway, Hoggle rescued me.I wonder what would've happened if I had gone left."

Alara wrinkled her nose in distaste."You wouldn't have landed in that stench-filled bog, that's what would've happened!"

Sarah mirrored the expression."Yeah, but then I would never have found Ludo or met Sir Didymus.I wouldn't have made through the Labyrinth without their help."

"Didn't the king-guy nearly kill you with that slashing machine?"

Sarah shuddered.She had never been so scared in her life; she had thought that she was going to die!"I think I made him mad.I probably shouldn't have said the Labyrinth was a piece of cake.I just didn't want him to know how scared I was." 

Alara nodded sagely."Yes, he seems to have a thing against cakes, doesn't he?He probably never had a birthday party in his life."

Sarah couldn't help but laugh out loud at picturing him wearing a sparkling party hat and blowing on a noisemaker.Then she sobered."He also tried to make me forget everything."Alara flinched, she hadn't planned on bringing that up.Sarah sighed as she stared into space."Sometimes I want to forget it all," she whispered.Alara made up her mind, then.She let down the shield that masked her power.Jareth had once gifted Sarah with part of himself, if she still carried that inside her, she would be able to see Alara as she truly was.

"Sarah…"Sarah heard the uncertainty in her friend's voice.

"Wha…"The word trailed off as Sarah stared at her friend.Ally was glowing, literally glowing…

Alara smiled ruefully, "No more masks."Sarah shook off her shock as she scrambled to her feet."He sent you, didn't he?Stay away from me!'' She backed up the door, ready to run.It was Alara's turn to be shocked; she hadn't expected this!"No, no," she pleaded, "Don't run!Please, hear me out!Jareth doesn't know I'm here, honest."Sarah froze at the door, her hand on the knob.

"What did you say?"Her breath came in ragged gasps as she turned to face Ally."I never told you his name."Alara shook her head, "You didn't have to.Please, will you listen to what I have to say before you run away again?"Sarah didn't move at first, Alara stood where she was, eyes pleading.Sarah suppressed a sigh, then slowly edged away from the door and gingerly perched herself on the edge of the cushion.Relieved, Alara began to explain, "Sarah, I have a story to tell you about a young girl…"


	3. Alara's Story

Thanks to everyone who bore with me, here his the last chapter of No More Masks.I'll warn you now, though, the ending is somewhat typical and cheesy.Sorry 'bout that.I hope you all enjoy it anyway!

Alara's Story

"Once, long ago, there was a world between worlds, a world that survived on a very powerful source of magic.And once, not so long ago, very powerful wizard called the Grey Men came to this world and tried to drain this magic.No one knew why, only that they intended to use this magic for an ill purpose.The magic in this world was sentient enough to struggle against the Grey Men, but it was a losing battle.In a desperate bid to save itself, it reshaped itself into a form that would be safe from their manipulation.And so, a young girl was born, but with her birth, came the death of her world.She escaped from the Grey Men but was left to wander through other realms.She housed an awesome power, but did not as yet know how to use it.This raw power was very tempting to those who would try to use it for their own gain, and the girl was often hunted for the power she carried.

And so it came to be that this girl found herself locked in a tiny cell by a stonehearted man.All he knew of this girl was that she had the ability to heal others, and was unable to refuse them aid.You see, this man had a father who was dying, but he knew what his son was and refused to leave his fortune to him.So, the son used the girl to keep his father alive until he should change his mind.The girl cried every night; the old man had an illness that she was not allowed to heal.Every day she saw him, and every day he begged her for death.She was only allowed ease his suffering a little, before she was forcibly removed back to her cell.It was killing her, bit by bit; everyday she was falling deeper into despair.And then one night a white owl landed on the ledge of her narrow window.She stared at it, disbelieving, for in its claws it carried a little steel key.When the girl stood to get a closer look, the owl flew away but left the key behind.Elated, the girl used it to escape her prison.She ran until she was exhausted and finally hid in the hollow of a tree.There she slept in peace for the first time in a long time.

When she awoke, she found herself in a strange land facing a strange man.He was a Goblin King, and, like her, he was magic-born and was an immortal.He told her about a human girl he had fallen in love with, he loved her so much that he gave her a precious gift, a part of himself.She, of course didn't know this.He had planned to woo her when she was old enough to understand what he was, but then fate took the choice away from him.She had foolishly wished her brother away.The Goblin King thought that now, finally, he could tell the girl what he felt, but she was too young to understand.In the end she refused him and was returned to her mortal world.He was deeply hurt, but even worse, the mortal girl had somehow convinced herself that her adventure never really happened, and passed it off as nothing more than a vivid dream.Because of the King's gift she carried, that disbelief carried over into the Underground, and began to unravel it.It was at this point that the Goblin King saved the magic-born girl's life and asked for a favor in return.The mage-born girl thought that the King wanted her to save his world from this slow destruction.She thought he wanted her to heal him as she had healed others, but she was wrong.What he wanted was death, a release from the pain that consumed him.While the girl had the power release him from life, she refused.Instead, she left for the mortal world to see this mortal girl, now a young woman.Perhaps, she thought there was a way to save the King, and the woman.What she found was a confused and tortured young woman who had never truly been loved; she was as lost in her own world as she was in the Underground.The magic-born girl, Alara felt a kinship with the lost one, Sarah, and they quickly became friends.Sarah became desperate to leave this mortal world, but could see no way out.And so, seeing her friend in pain, Alara offered to take her to a place where she _would_ belong, to be with those who would love her and protect her and would let her dream."

Sarah sat there, as unmoving as a stone, only the tears streaming down her cheeks proved that she lived.Alara stood and went over to a shelf, picking up a crystal ball that was hidden there and offering it to her friend.

"Tell me, Sarah, how does this story end?"Sarah sat there for a long moment before finally reaching for the sphere.

The End Of The Story

Alara watched silently as Sarah and Jareth faced each other.He stood stiffly, his face impassive and seemingly unsure of what to say.Sarah tried to remain as unreadable, but she was wilting under Jareth's steady gaze.Alara sighed to herself and shook her head._Men! Whether mortal, or Faery, or other, they were all too…too pig-headed!_Alara moved to his side and stood up on her toes to whisper in his ear, "No more masks, Lord of the Goblins.Remember, she came to you this time, so _don't blow it_!"He had the grace enough to look chagrined before she turned to Sarah and gave her a hug."Don't let him pull that kingly attitude on you, Sarah, you've got him wrapped around your finger.Look, he brought you flowers!"

Sarah looked at where Alara was pointing and almost cried.Below them was the expanse of the Labyrinth; every nook and cranny was covered with blooms."And now, here is my gift to you, Sarah."Alara's eyes went distant as she caught Sarah's hand.Alara pricked first Sarah's palm and then her own with a tiny silver knife.Sarah remained still, knowing that Alara meant her no harm.Alara pressed her palm into Sarah's, mingling their blood. "With my blood, I make you immortal.I give this gift so that you may spend your life with your Lord unhindered by time.With this spell, I bind myself to you.Should you need me, call out my name and I will answer."Alara blinked, then smiled at the King and his Lady."Go in peace, my friends."She then turned and walked away from the Labyrinth, confident that their story would end in happiness.


End file.
